Envelope opener



A. M. LOCKETT 7& 3

ENVELOPE OPENER Filed Oct. 21, 1938 1 m): n t on 1 513 Wuzf W :7 [1/414 (Menu/.

Patented Oct. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFECE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in an instrument f or opening envelopes and cutting paper.

One object of my invention is to provide an en- 5 velope opener and paper cutter which will be readily insertible beneath the flap of an envelope and when so inserted will not slip out during cutting of the flap.

Another object of my invention consists in providing a device for the purpose herein described which will be light in weight, rehable in its function and of low cost of production.

The above and other objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the detailed 15 description to be presently given.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved device;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

20 Figure 3 is a cross-section on line 3-3 of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a cross-section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

My envelope opener comprises, broadly, three 5 parts, i. e., the handle [0, the blade I l and the head l2. The handle l0 may consist of a fiat strip of metal either separate or integral with the cutting blade I l or it may be made of wood, ivory, bone or the like, in which case the blade is em- 30 bedded at one end thereof.

The blade I i is provided with knife edges 13 and M for cutting the paper, though it may just as well carry a knife edge on one side only leaving the opposite edge blunt or thicker in cross-section.

5 The head l2, as viewed in Figure 2 of the drawing, consists of two generally convex surfaces l5 and I6 tapering at one end into a sharp point I! and forming at the opposite end or base clearly defined ledges or shelves l8 and I9 which extend 40 substantially beyond the blade II, as exemplified in the said Figure 2.

The head I 2 may be secured to the blade H by any suitable means or it may even be an integral, though much enlarged, part of the blade. In all events, however, the side edges 20 and 2! of head [2, as illustrated in Figure 3, are of a curved nature and, consequently, are not cutting 5 edges.

It is a frequent occurence with envelope openers as known heretofore that the same will slip out of the envelope when in use thus necessitating repeated insertions. With my improved device, 10 the sharp point i 1 permits it to be readily inserted in the flap of the envelope but the thick part or head l2 offers resistance to its slipping out. When my opener is held at an acute angle it can be slid across the envelope, cutting it by means of the blade H and maintaining it within the flap due to the provision of the thickened, non-cutting head 52 and of the ledges l8 and I9 thereof.

Having thus set forth my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An envelope opener comprising a handle portion, a blade portion having cutting edges, and a head portion, said head portion having blunt edges in alignment with said cutting edges and said head portion ending in a sharp point at one extremity and having shoulders at the opposite extremity projecting beyond the sides of the blade portion and extending across the entire width of the blade portion.

2. An envelope opener comprising a blade portion of uniform cross-section having cutting edges and a head portion at one end of the blade portion, said head portion having blunt edges in alignment with said cutting edges, said head portion terminating in a sharp point and having a cross-sectional area increasingly greater than that of the blade as it progressively approaches the point of junction with the blade and forming, at the junction, shoulders projecting beyond the sides of the blade portion and extending across the entire width of the blade portion.

ANDREW M. LOCKETT. 

